Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the left atrium: a case report and a review of the literature
Arikawa, K.; Higashi, T.; Maruko, M.; Taira, A.; Yuda, T.; Chosa, N.
Nihon Kyobu Geka Gakkai 34(2): 251-254
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0369-4739 PMID: 3014024 Document Number: 277548
A 63-year-old woman with congestive heart failure due to left atrial tumor was operated on. A main and 3 satellite tumors arising from postero-superior wall of the left atrium were resected. Pathological diagnosis was malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). A recurrent tumor was detected by echocardiography after a 3 months period of uneventful postoperative course. She died of congestive heart failure 9 months after the operation. Postmortem examination revealed a large recurrent tumor occupying almost all of the left atrial cavity. No metastasis was found. Bibliographically there are 8 reported cases of intracardiac MFH and this would be the 9th in the literature. Seven cases out of 9 were females. The tumors all originated primarily in the left atrium and 3 had distant metastases. One revealed right ventricular recurrence. Surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiation therapy hardly controlled the local recurrence. The prognosis of intracardiac MFH is poor.